


Take Care of You

by theearlymorningmist



Category: SPN, Supernatural
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Anxious Dean Winchester, Baby Sam Winchester, Bad Parent John Winchester, Bobby is still alive, Brotherly Bonding, Castiel Helps Dean Winchester, Castiel Takes Care of Dean Winchester, Castiel and Dean Winchester Have a Profound Bond, Child Dean Winchester, Child Sam Winchester, Childhood Trauma, De-Aged Sam Winchester, De-aging, Dean Winchester Needs Castiel, Dean Winchester Needs a Hug, Dean Winchester Takes Care of Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester is Sam Winchester's Parent, Depression, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, John Winchester Being an Asshole, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, M/M, Parental Bobby Singer, Protective Dean Winchester, Sad Dean Winchester, Self-Discovery, Soft Dean Winchester, Witches, before cas loses his wings, confronting childhood traumas, soft/shy destiel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:49:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24259177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theearlymorningmist/pseuds/theearlymorningmist
Summary: When a witch casts a spell that turns Sam back into a baby, it stirs up many childhood traumas for Dean. He struggles to care for baby-Sam, confront his anxieties, and hunt down a witch all at the same time. But Castiel tries to help Dean see that he is worth more than just protecting Sam.
Relationships: Bobby Singer & Dean Winchester, Castiel/Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester & John Winchester, Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester
Comments: 21
Kudos: 292





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly I haven't been able to stop thinking about what Dean taking care of a baby Sam would look like since I thought we were going to get it in 15x10. So here is fluffy and angsty dean dealing with a baby, and some shy destiel. 
> 
> p.s- all 6 chpts are finished/pre-written, will be posted every other day.

Sam and Dean moved through the abandoned warehouse carefully, guns cocked and raised at the ready. Dean took the lead, silently stalking down the narrow pathway until they reached its end where it branched off in two directions. The two brothers exchanged a silent look, agreeing to split up.

They had been in a diner two towns over when Sam read an article online about a string of disappearances. After some more research, Sam explained to Dean, who had been happily shoveling pecan pie into his mouth at an alarming rate, that all the victims had at one point attended therapy sessions at the same practice; one Dr. Sara Howe.

_“Could be basically anything;” Dean huffed, sad to see his plate empty, “Rugaru, Vamps, Ghouls, Djinn…They all equal missing persons.”_

_Sam closed his laptop, and finished the last sip of his coffee, which had grown cold some time ago. “I guess we’re just ganna have to get some more info from the locals. I say we start at this Dr. Howe’s office.”_

_Dean begrudgingly nodded in agreement. “I hate not knowing what we’re heading into.” he muttered, throwing a few bills onto the table before getting up”._

In his youth, when he had first started hunting with their Dad, Dean could admit he’d been reckless and overconfident; willing to run head first into anything so long as he had his beloved gun with him. John had admired what he saw as fearlessness, that in reality was recklessness, so long as Dean continued to shut up and listen to instructions.

All that had changed when Sam got old enough to start hunting with them as well. Dean had dreaded that day like the plague. He quickly found himself holding back, waiting for the right opportunity to attack instead of going in guns blazing. Mostly this was because he knew where he went Sam would follow without question, and he would never put his brother in danger like that. The other, sadder, reality was that if Dean died being reckless on a hunt, there would be no one around to protect Sammy; John only truly had eyes for the hunt, still fueled with blind anger over his wife’s death, and willing to take it out on anyone or anything.

Things had gotten better with time. John’s own hastiness had become tact, maybe because enough time had passed that he saw the point in being careful, living on for his sons. Dean didn’t particularly care why, because looking out for Sam, on hunts and otherwise, would always be Dean’s first job. After their dad died, it became his only job. Which was why even now, with Sam closing in on 30, Dean was wary that one bad hunt, one blind mistake, could kill them.

Unfortunately, you don’t always know you’re making a bad decision in the moment. It’s not until after, when that sick feeling fills your gut and screams ‘I told you so’, that you realize your mistake. This was the case when Dean got to the end of the left corridor, finding a dusty room full of overturned office furniture, with a single desk standing against the far wall. On that desk were all the makings of a black altar, and a serious one at that; this was a practiced witch they were dealing with, not some amateur house-wife wiccan who was in over her head. Dean sucked in a breath, turning on his heels to go find Sam before he found the witch. He cursed himself for thinking it had been a Djinn… it was now his fault neither of them had witch killing bullets on them.

“ _Sam_!” Dean tried to shout-whisper and he made his way back down the other hall, the way Sam had gone when they split up. He could already feel that sickening regret and self hatred building in his gut as he neared the corner, when a green flash of light emanated from the other room, momentarily blinding Dean from its brightness.

When the light disappeared, Dean hurried around the corner, trying to blink away the black dots that clouded his vision. As he turned the corner, he first noted Sam’s gun, abandoned on the floor. Rage and anxiety rushed through him. In the corner, a female figure with her back turned made a move for the door. Dean raised his gun, finger ready on the trigger.

“HEY! Don’t move.” he ordered. “What did you do to my brother you son of a bitch?”

The woman, Dr. Howe, as Dean had guessed, slowly turned around, revealing herself to be holding some kind of bundle in her arms. Dean’s eyes narrowed, anticipating some trick to be hidden among the blankets- a gun or a hex bag. To his surprise, the bundle moved, revealing a tiny arm. Soft cries suddenly filled the room, confirming that the bundle the witch was holding was indeed a live human baby.

“All I did was make him a little cuter. I mean those puppy dog eyes on a baby? What a sweetheart.” the woman smirked, looking down at Sam lovingly, which thoroughly disgusted Dean.

“Change him back _now_ or I’ll put a bullet in your brain.” Dean threatened again, taking a step closer. His face was stern but inside he was panicking. Whatever happened now was his own fault.

The woman let out a short sigh, glaring at Dean. “I’m not the bad guy, Winchester. I’m helping these people. Giving them a new start in life.” She looked back down at the baby, which Dean was still having trouble comprehending to be Sam. “I could sense the sadness in this one too. The regret, lost dreams, lost hopes. Maybe this time around he’ll have it better.”

Dean swallowed thickly, stepping even closer. He could almost grab them if he wanted, but it would be only too easy for the woman to hurt Sam before Dean could restrain her. So he hesitated- waiting for a better option to reveal itself.

“Either way- you kill me and he stays like this.” She smirked, suddenly tossing the bundle to Dean who dropped his gun, diving forward to catch the fragile thing. By the time he had Sam in his arms, one hand keeping his head and neck still, the woman had already escaped out the door.

Dean shuffled the bundle to one arm, picking up his gun with his now free hand and making for the door, when he suddenly froze. He stared down at the baby in his arms, who was crying, and slowly lowered his gun, tucking it back into his jeans. There was no way he could chase down and fight a witch while holding a baby.

Dean hung his head, jaw clenched with frustration. Finally he looked back at the baby, _his_ _brother_ , whose bright eyes were filled with tears. Flashbacks from childhood, motel walls and Sammy crying, asking when their father was going to be back, flooded his mind from the dark corners in which they had been repressed. Dean felt himself break a little. “Hey…hey it’s okay, Sammy…” the man spoke softly. “I’m ganna…I’ll get you fixed. I promise.” 

Carefully Dean pulled out his cell, dialing the familiar number. A gruff voice picked up, barking ‘Hello’. Dean struggled to find words to explain himself. “Hey Bobby, it’s Dean. Listen I’ve got a…situation. I’m ganna need your help.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean struggles to adjust to the idea that his brother is a baby, while Cas notices some troubling behaviour from Dean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N- I'm so soft for Dean with babies. ;---;

Dean had gone back to the Impala with Sam, who was now magically a baby, and was currently staring blankly at the dashboard in stunned silence. That he had uttered the words ‘ _Sam is a baby’_ genuinely, and not as an insult to his oversized little brother, was still throwing him for a loop for obvious reasons.

After managing to convince Bobby that he was not in fact messing with the man, Bobby agreed to drive up and help Dean catch the witch and figure out a way to reverse this de-aging spell. They agreed to meet up at a motel in town, but Dean was having trouble figuring out how to get there safely. He couldn’t exactly just strap Sam into the passenger seat and tell him to hold on. The issue reminded Dean of when they had first lost their mom in the fire…Pretty much all their stuff had been destroyed too, including their booster seats, which had been in the garage at the time. For three days, before John had been able to get new ones, Dean sat in the back, the seatbelt pressing into his neck because it was too tall for him, gripping Sammy as tight in his arms as he could.

Shaking the memory away, Dean tried to focus on the task at hand. He had remembered seeing a small flower and boutique shop a block up the road from the foreclosed building they were currently at. Much to Dean’s embarrassment, 15 minutes later he was walking back to the Impala holding a wicker picnic basket which he had put Sam in. He carefully positioned the basket at the foot of the passenger’s seat, driving slower than he could ever remember having driven before, to get to the motel. “Sorry Sammy,” the man apologized as he drove over a bump, “you okay down there?” he asked. Sam merely let out a small gurgling laugh, seemingly greatly amused by the basket.

When Dean arrived at the motel he made sure no one was around to see him as he headed to his room with the basket. The man sat down on the motel bed, taking Sam out of the basket and laying him down gently. He let out a sigh, releasing the tension from his shoulders as he laid back as well. “I’ve gotta say Sammy, this is up there with the top weirdest things that have ever happened to us.” The man admitted, patting Sam on the stomach gently, causing him to laugh. This brought a small smile to Dean’s face. “Oh you’re still ticklish huh? Yeah, I remember tickling you all the time when you were a baby. Mom said she’d never heard a baby laugh so much before…”

There was a knock on the door which shook Dean once again from his memories. He went to answer it, keeping one eye on Sam to make sure he didn’t roll off the bed. “Cas?” Dean questioned, when he found the familiar angel on the other side of the door.

“Hello, Dean. May I come in?” he asked, eyes glancing over to the baby on the bed in confusion. “Is that…your brother?” he questioned, stepping inside as Dean moved out the way.

“Yup.” Dean nodded. “It’s a long story. Actually, not that long- a witch zapped him with something and now he wets his pants.”

Cas pursed his lips, giving Dean a look. “That’s not very nice Dean, babies don’t have control of their bodily functions.”

“Neither do some adults after a few drinks.” Dean chuckled.

Cas shook his head, moving over to the bed to look at Sam. “Hello Sam.” He reached out his hand, which Sam grabbed, and, not knowing quite what to do, Cas shook it formally. “Uh, good to see you, although the circumstances seem unfortunate.”

Dean rolled his eyes at the angel’s actions. They had known each other a few years now, yet no matter how acclimatized to social interaction Cas got, there were certain aspects of his awkward and goofy nature that never changed. Dean was grateful for that, although he would never admit it. “So how’d you find us anyhow?” the man asked.

Cas sat down, turning his attention back to Dean. “I sensed your distress, so I called Bobby and he told me where to meet you all.” the man explained.

Dean raised his eyebrows, “M-My distress? Hey man I didn’t pray for your help or anything. I can watch a baby for a few hours.” the man argued, swallowing thickly. He held Cas’ stare for a moment before giving up and going to pick Sam up, who had begun to get fussy.

“Forgive me if I offended you Dean, I didn’t mean to imply you were incapable.”

The man shuffled Sam in his arms, trying to avoid Cas’ eyes which were all too sympathetic and kind for him to deal with right now. “I used to watch Sam all the time when we were younger you know.” Dean began, tone less defensive now. “It was a lot easier when he was older and I could bribe him to behave with candy.” the man admitted, a ghost of a smile brushing over his lips, “but he was pretty damn cute as a baby too…”

Clearing his throat, Dean glanced at Cas before quickly looking away. “Don’t ever tell him I said that.” he added, embarrassed.

Cas nodded, also smiling. As he watched the two brothers interact, noting Dean’s run down state, having come right from a fight. He was still wearing his FBI suit, which Cas knew Dean hated. “I can hold Sam for a moment if you’d like.” Cas offered, to give the man a chance to change.

The angel tried not to be offended when Dean all but pulled away, throwing his shoulder in between Cas and Sam. “No!—I mean, it’s fine, he’s falling asleep anyways. Don’t want to wake him.” Dean covered.

Cas nodded, clearly feeling the waves of anxiety which were rolling off Dean in that moment. He knew that Dean had always been protective of his younger sibling, but this seemed like something more. Cas frowned, recalling all he knew about the Winchesters before he had become involved in their lives. He had been explicitly told that dealing with Dean and getting him to accept his role in the apocalypse would be difficult because of his father issues and codependence on his brother. They had been right of course. Dean was willing to do anything to protect his brother; he stopped the apocalypse so he could save Sam, and yet he had still lost him for a time. Cas could tell those events still haunted Dean sometimes…

Dean guiltily avoided Cas’ inquisitive gaze, as he leaned against the headboard of the bed, careful to keep Sam’s sleeping form comfortable in his arms. Just as he got settled, there was another knock at the door. “I’ll get it.” Cas offered, standing up.

He answered the door, and Bobby entered the room carrying a bag of baby supplies. “Alright you idjit,” he began, addressing Dean, “I’ve got to see this with my own eyes before I believe it.” he said, dumping the supplies on the table and heading over to Dean. He held his hands out, and Dean handed Sam over with some reluctance. Cas recalled that Bobby often watched the brothers when they were young and accounted that to why Bobby was allowed to interact with the infant Sam and he wasn’t.

Bobby chuckled, shaking his head. “Well I’ll be damned, your brother _is_ a baby.” the man exclaimed. “I can’t remember the last time this boy was smaller than you, or even me for that matter.” The older man glanced over at the picnic basket before scoffing in disbelief. “Boy, tell me you ain’t been keeping your baby brother in a damn wicker basket.”

Dean swallowed, glancing away. “Uh…no?”

“Idjit.” Bobby muttered, handing Sam back to Dean and heading outside again. When he returned he was holding a proper baby carrier, albeit it was a bit old and torn, so there was a dinosaur pattern blanket laid over the seat. “Here, put your damn brother in that.”

“Hey I remember this thing!” Dean smiled, touching the corner of the blanket gently. “You kept it all these years?” he asked, surprised. He recalled when their father had come to pick them up from Bobby’s once, already in a bad mood. Dean had taken too long getting Sam buckled in his booster seat because his favourite blanket, the dinosaur one, had gotten stuck in the buckle. John, in a frustrated rage, had torn the thing out of Dean’s arms and thrown it into the trash. _‘You're too old to be carrying that stupid thing around, son.’_ he had said.

“This blanket has sentimental value to you, Dean?” Cas asked, inspecting the piece of cloth. All the depictions of the prehistoric creatures were wildly inaccurate, but Cas refrained from mentioning the discrepancy.

Dean merely nodded, placing Sam down into the carrier. He let out a quick cry, not wanting to be put down, but Dean quickly distracted the infant by giving him the edge of the blanket to hold. It worked like a charm, just like it had when they were both younger. Sam would only settle if he was holding onto something- whether it be a person or a random object.

Bobby adjusted his hat, shrugging his shoulders. “Just threw it in the wash and tossed it in a closet is all. John was an ass for throwing it out.” he commented, looking away. That man had never been a real dad to the boys. Especially not to Dean. “Now if we can all stop cooing over the kid like a couple o’ ladies, we’ve got work to do. We need to figure out how to turn your brother back.”

Dean nodded, glancing over at Sam’s peaceful, now sleeping, form. He hadn’t seen his little brother sleep that well in years. “Right…Turn him back…Yeah.” Dean muttered, the Witch’s words echoing through his mind. … _Maybe this time around he’ll have it better…_


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean is haunted by memories from years ago. Cas attempts to comfort him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N- I wish I could punch John Winchester in the face.

_Dean was helping Sam eat his Spaghetti-O’s, an amused look on his face as the 2 year old managed to get sauce all over his mouth. He would probably have to give his baby brother a bath by the time the entire bowl was empty._

_As Dean attempted to wipe some of the sauce from Sam’s face before feeding him the next bite, he heard his dad’s phone ring. John, who had been sitting in a chair by the window, writing in his journal, answered it quickly. “John here.” he snapped._

_Dean pushed the spaghetti around in the bowl listlessly, face sullen. When people called that phone it almost always meant that Sam and he would be dropped off with someone, Pastor Jim or Uncle Bobby, and dad would go off “to work”. Dean hated when that phone rang._

_John shot up from his seat, causing Dean to flinch and drop the spoon on the floor. “I’m only two hours away from there. I’ll be right—” he paused, looking over at Sam and Dean as if he had just remembered they were there. “—shoot…. What? No, I’ll still be there. I’ve just got to figure something out.” He hung up the phone._

_“Dean, come here son.” John called, putting his hands on either one of Dean’s shoulders. “I have to go work, it’s about…” he hesitated, “it’s the thing that took your mother away, Dean.” he explained, causing the young boy’s eyes to go wide in fear. “But if I don’t go now it might get away. There isn’t time to drop you and your brother off somewhere, so you’re going to have to watch Sam by yourself for a while. I’ll call Bobby, but he won’t be able to get here for a day and a half. You’ll have to take care of Sam, you understand?”_

_Dean’s lip began to wobble as he teared up, afraid. “B-But…” he began, shoulders slumping as he retreated into himself. “Wh-what if something bad happens?”_

_John sucked in a frustrated breath, foot tapping with impatience. “Dean! This is important. You have to be a big boy. I told you about the bad things… the non-human things… none of those are ganna be able to get in here you remember why?”_

_“t-the salt.” Dean muttered, staring down at his feet._

_“All you have to do is make sure nothing happens to Sam, okay? You can do this, son. Tell me you’ll take care of your brother no matter what.” John demanded, his grip tightening on Dean’s shoulder, causing the small boy to squeak in pain quietly._

_“I…I promise. I’ll protect Sammy no matter what.”_

“…gotta…protect Sammy…” Dean muttered, in a distressed tone, before gasping awake. His heart was pounding with fear and he immediately looked to the carrier next to the bed to check on Sam, only to further panic when he found it empty.

Dean shot out of bed, tossing the sheets off haphazardly. “SAM?” He called, looking around the empty motel room, distraught. Just as he was about to go bursting out the door to look outside, Castiel came wandering inside, holding baby Sam in his arms.

“Dean, you’re awake.” he smiled, but it quickly fell into a frown when he noticed the man’s distraught state. “Apologies if we worried you. Bobby was still out doing research, and you seemed like you needed some sleep, so when Sam got fussy I took it upon myself to walk him around a bit.” he explained. “I understand that infants enjoy changing scenery.”

The explanation seemed to do nothing to ease the man’s worry, and Dean quickly took Sam from the angel’s arms and pressed him tightly against his own body. His entire body seemed to relax now that he could see and feel for himself that his younger brother was okay. Dean let the soft feeing of Sam’s heartbeat pressed against his shoulder ground him, and wash away the residual anxiety from his dream.

When Dean finally came back to himself, he noticed that Cas had taken a seat at the table, on the other end of the room. He was staring at the ugly wallpaper with a pensive intensity, and, if Dean didn’t know better, he would have said he seemed upset. Clearing his throat, Dean put Sam back into the carrier and brought it over with him to sit at the table with Cas. “Hey um, sorry for kind of freaking out. I just woke up and everyone was gone and I…” he bit his lip, looking away, “I panicked.”

Cas seemed to ponder over the man’s words for a moment before he let out a sigh, meeting Dean’s tentative gaze. “We’ve been through much together, you and I.” he finally said.

Dean swallowed heavily, nodding his head in agreement. “Yeah, I suppose we have.”

“I understand that you have every reason to feel trepid around my brothers and sisters…they have not been kind to your family.” Cas looked to Sam, frowning, before looking back at Dean. “I…understand that because of this…” he paused, guiltily, “and because of my past mistakes…you probably have a hard time trusting _me_ as well.”

“Cas, man…” Dean began, trying to rub the sleep away from his face. “I didn’t mean to make you feel like that.” He glanced at his brother in the carrier. “I’ve got a lot of issues…” he chuckled, “no surprise there. But…Sam being a freaking baby... It’s just bringing up a lot of crap for me. It’s nothing to do with you.” he tried to assure his friend.

Cas frowned, tentatively placing his hand over Dean’s in comfort. “You are perhaps…the most troubled human I have ever met, Dean Winchester.” He gave the man a sympathetic smile. “But you are also the best human I have ever met. You’re a good man, and a better brother to Sam.” Cas closed his hand over Dean’s. “You cannot take responsibility for everything that happens to Sam your whole life. At some point, you’ll have to start taking care of yourself instead.”

Dean’s cheeks burned and his eyes stung. He slowly turned his hand over so he could hold Cas’ hand back, not daring to meet the man’s intense blue eyes. “I don’t know how to take care of myself…It’s always just been ‘protect Sam’.” Much to Dean’s frustration and embarrassment, he lost the fight against his tears, and one renegade tear glided down his cheek. The man quickly wiped it with the back of his free hand. He tried to look away to hide his face, but Cas gently squeezed his hand again, brining Dean’s attention back to Cas’s face.

“You just don’t remember how. No one has taken care of you in a very long time, Dean.” Cas ventured, unable to look away. The way the man’s long eye lashes somehow became thicker and more prominent when he cried, framing his haunted green eyes. “Perhaps you just need to be reminded of how that feels…”

Dean’s eyes darted between Cas and the table and anywhere else, but he kept finding himself dragged back to those sympathetic eyes. He let out a shuttering breath, finally finding his voice again. “Cas, I…”

The handle shook, and Bobby entered the motel room, Dean quickly retracting his hand and standing up. “Hey Bobby, what did you find about this ‘Sara’ bitch?” he asked, working hard to keep his voice steady.

Bobby looked up from the book he was holding, turning it around to show the two other men. “Just her damn spell book.” the man gloated. “Honestly Dean, it’s a wonder how you’re a hunter at all when you ain’t got no brains under that pretty head of hair. How’d you two idjits miss this in her office?” he teased.

“Alright old man, don’t go thinking I won’t take you down, ‘cuz I will.” Dean scoffed.

“I’d like to see you try, son.” He dumped the book down on the table in front of Cas, opening it to the bookmarked page. “I think this is the spell she used on Sam here. We should be able to use this to figure out how to reverse it.”

Cas glanced at Dean quickly before examining the page. “It all seems fairly straight forward.” the angel explained. “These are all acquirable ingredients, except…”

“Except what?” Dean asked, worried. Nothing was ever ‘straightforward’ in this line of work. If it seemed too easy, it was likely because something was about to go wrong. That was, unfortunately, the story of Dean’s life.

“You need some hair from the witch who cast the spell.”

Dean chuckled, pulling his gun out from under the pillow and unloading the barrel to show the witch killing bullets inside. “Well that works out just fine. Two birds with one stone in fact, since I was planning to gank the bitch anyways.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A flashback to a 6 year old Dean watching Sam alone for the first time provides insight into why Dean is so anxious about Sam being a baby again. Meanwhile, a rift forms between Dean and Cas...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N- I want to hug young Dean and give him ice cream. ;-; Also, I love Cas so much, my poor baby. Everyone in this fic just needs a hug. I'm too mean to them.

_Dean yawned as he poured cheerios for Sam’s breakfast, barely able to keep his eyes open. Their dad had left last night after receiving the phone call, leaving Sam and Dean alone over night for the first time in their lives. Dean had tucked Sam into bed next to him, patting the soft fuzzy hair on the top of his head until the younger boy fell asleep; but no such peace came to Dean. Every noise outside filled Dean with fear, and he refused to go to sleep, convinced that the moment he shut his eyes the thing that took their mom would come back for Sam._

_It had been very late, or rather very early, when Dean’s six year old body couldn’t stay up a moment more and he passed out asleep, still clutching his two year old brother in his arms. As a result, Dean was overtired and overwhelmed come the next morning when he had to try to herd Sam to the breakfast table and make sure he ate._

_While little Sam scooped cheerios into his mouth with his hand, giggling the whole while, Dean ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He kicked his feet restlessly, hoping that Bobby would get here soon. Their Dad had said he’d be there by the time they went to bed tonight, and until then to just keep Sam safe and happy. He had assured them that no monsters could get inside the motel room._

_Sam held out his hand, offering Dean a cheerio, which earned a smile from the older boy.“Thanks, Sammy.”_

_Just then, the door opened and a woman in a maid’s smock, carrying some towels, walked in. She looked almost as surprised to see the two boys as they were to see her. “Oh.” the woman said, surprised. “I’m sorry, there wasn’t a ‘Do-Not-Disturb’ sign on the door.”_

_Dean stared wide eyes at the woman. She had long blonde hair with soft curls, warm blue eyes, and a kind smile. For a moment, Dean mistook her for his mother. But it wasn’t her… She was gone. Dean quickly stood up, placing himself between the strange woman and his brother, arms out protectively._

_The woman chuckled softly, bending down on her knees so she was at eye level with the young boy. “I didn’t mean to scare you. My name is Darla. What’s your name?” she asked._

_Dean attempted to put on an angry face. That was when he noticed that the woman had crossed the salt line on the ground without breaking it, and was unaffected. That meant she couldn’t be a monster. The young boy relaxed a little. “My name is Dean.” he answered._

_“And I’m guessing that’s your little brother?” Darla smiled. “Where are your parents, tough guy?” she asked, concerned._

_“Dad is at work! B-But he’ll be back soon! Uncle Bobby too! They promised- ‘before we went to bed’.” Dean explained, eagerly. Just then, Sam smacked his bowl, knocking it to the ground and spilling the rest of the cheerios everywhere. “Sammy!” Dean groaned, knowing his brother had a tendency to cause chaos when he got bored._

_“Aw, poor things. Stuck in this stuffy room all day until your Daddy gets back.” the woman frowned. “I tell you what Dean. How about when I’m finished cleaning up all the rooms, I take you and your baby brother there to the park across the street?”_

_Dean backed away, giving the woman an unsure look. Sam struggled, trying to squeeze his way out of the booster seat. “Play!!” he whined, banging on the table. Dean frowned, glancing back at the woman._

_“You promise you’re not a monster?” he asked._

_Darla smiled, poking Dean in the nose playfully. “I promise.”_

“Alright,” Bobby began, adjusting his tattered old baseball hat, “we need a plan. One of us is going to have to stay behind to watch Diapers over there,” he motioned to Sam, “and the other two will go after the witch. But we’ve gotta get the hair while she’s still alive otherwise Sam jr. is ganna be sucking on pacifiers for a long ass time.”

Cas nodded, standing up from his seat. “Most of her spells won’t be able to affect me, so I should be able to get close enough to acquire the hair without injury.” he volunteered.

“You do have that popping up right behind people thing down.” Bobby agreed. “Dean, you going with Cas then?” the man asked.

“What, Cas and I always gotta do everything together?” Dean shot back, suddenly defensive at the non-existent implications. “I should be the one to watch Sam, I’m his brother.” he argued.

Cas and Bobby exchanged a look, and Bobby rolled his eyes, sighing heavily. “We know he’s your brother, Dean, and lord knows John put too much of that responsibility on your shoulders, but if you recall, I used to watch both of you little brats when you were kids. I know how to keep a baby alive.”

Dean still seemed hesitant, just staring intensely at Sam’s sleeping form. Cas slowly made his way over to Dean, gently placing a hand on the man’s shoulder. “Your brother will be in good hands, Dean. I promise he’ll be okay. If you really want to help him, we need to find this witch.”

Swallowing heavily, Dean dragged his gaze up to meet Cas’ eyes. He searched them for any sign of uncertainty but all he found was sympathy and resolve. Dean cleared his throat, breaking eye contact to glance back at Bobby quickly, a flush on his cheeks. “If you drop my baby brother on his head, I’ll drop _you_.” he threatened, half heartedly.

Bobby smirked, shaking his head. “Sure you will, boy. Now you two get going.”

The two men headed out the room, and got into the Impala. Cas didn’t often sit in the passenger seat, which was permanently reserved by Dean as Sam’s spot, but this time he rode with Dean side by side. He enjoyed these quiet moments, just the two of them.

Cas focused on the passing trees, as they headed to a cabin which Bobby had tracked back to the witch, Dr. Howe’s, finances. Dean suddenly reached forward and shut off the radio. “I’m sorry.” he said.

Cas looked at the man, confused. He tried to read his face, but Dean wouldn’t look at him, eyes staring forward with determination, not even a flicker in Cas’ direction. “About what?” Cas asked.

“I just don’t think I’m the type of person who gets taken care of by others.” His hands squeezed hard around the steering wheel. “So you shouldn’t waste your time.” he added.

The air in the car was heavy. Cas stared down at the palm of his hand, remembering the warmth from a few moments ago. With a slow nod, he closed his hand, tucking it back to his side. “I understand.” He replied, quietly.

The rest of the car ride was filled with tense silence and quick glances, neither man quite sure what to say to the other. Eventually they arrived, Dean parking far down the pathway so the woman wouldn’t know they were coming. He cleared his throat awkwardly, glancing at Cas. “Are you ready?”

Cas didn’t look at Dean, simply nodding his head. “Regardless of whatever happens between us, Dean, I will always be your ally. I’ll do my part to help return your brother to you.” Dean opened his mouth to respond, but Cas was already out the car. Dean sighed, resting his head against the steering wheel for a moment before letting out a deep breath. He only had himself to blame for all of this…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next chapter... Dean is given an tempting offer by the witch...


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dean and Cas confront the witch who turned Sam into a baby...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N- Poor traumatized Deano ;--; Also! THE FINAL CHAPTER will be posted TOMORROW!

Dean and Cas moved quietly up the pathway, keeping close to the tree line. The lights were on in the cabin, which was a good sign. After checking around the whole place, Dean had decided to go in through the back door, which entered into the garage. The door was old, and the lock was practically rusted off its hinges making breaking in a breeze.

Cas had agreed to wait outside, keeping an eye out through the window for the perfect opportunity to sneak up on the witch. If he appeared too soon, she could banish him or attack his vessel, leaving them at a disadvantage.

Inside the garage, Dean rolled his eyes at the various bottles filled with he didn’t want to know what. “I freaking hate witches.” he muttered, quietly, as he tested the inner door handle, relieved to find it unlocked.

Dean kept his gun drawn as he carefully made his way through the house towards to living room, vigilant for any traps. When he got to the end of the corridor, he paused, listening for what the woman was doing.

“You can come out Dean, I know you’re there.” the woman, Sara, called. Dean swallowed, standing up straight and walking into the room, determined. The witch smiled when she saw him. “How’s your brother doing?” she asked.

“He cries all the time and craps his pants. How do you think he’s doing?” Dean snapped, glaring at the woman. He slowly lowered his gun, tucking it back into his pants and raising his hands to show he wasn’t a threat. “But I’m not here to fight, I’m here to barter. My brother can be annoying as hell sometimes, but I prefer him 8 feet tall and wiping his own ass. Change him back.”

The woman narrowed her eyes. “If this is an exchange, then what do I get in return?” she asked.

“Anything.”

“Oh, Dean.” Sara sighed. “Is that really what you want?” She gave him a sympathetic look, moving closer to the defeated looking man. “You _and_ your brother are miserable. You’ve led miserable lives full of hard work and loss, with nothing to show for it but more devastation. Isn’t it kind of me to give your brother a second chance? To grow up without the looming weight of being a hunter?”

Dean swallowed thickly, giving the woman an unsure look as she moved even closer to him, reaching out and putting a hand on his cheek. “I could do the same for you too, you know?” She closed her eyes, as if sensing into Dean’s mind. “You’d get to be a care free kid for once, no monsters to fight… Just a normal human life with Sammy… What do you say?”

_There was a knock at the door, followed by a woman’s voice. “Dean? It’s me, Darla. Are you boys ready to go to the park?” she asked, excitedly._

_Dean answered the door, holding Sam’s hand. He had gotten his brother dressed, and made sure he had a hat on, ready to go play in the sun. He couldn’t help but be excited about this- they never got to play at the park. Dad was too busy or too worried about who might see them._

_“Ready.” Dean smiled, attempting to help Sam get down the step._

_“Here, let me get the little guy.” Darla offered, picking Sam up and balancing him on her hip. She held her free hand out for Dean, and the young boy carefully took it. The woman’s hand was soft and warm; comforting, like a mother’s hand…_

_When they got to the park, Darla sat down on the bench with Sam, smiling and encouraging Dean to go run around and play without worrying about his brother. Dean hesitated about leaving Sam, but he saw the other kids inviting anyone to play Grounders with them and he couldn’t resist. He ran over, climbing up to join the other kids._

_While playing, Dean made sure to glance over and wave at Sam from time to time so he would know his brother hadn’t left him. Darla laughed as Dean managed to skillfully avoid getting tagged for 4 games in a row, before finally getting caught on the ground when someone had called ‘grounders’, automatically making him it._

_Dean closed his eyes, carefully making his way around the playground, trying to find the other kids by listening only. Finally he tagged someone who was trying to run away, laughing happily and running back over to the bench to tell Darla and Sam, only to find them both gone._

_“Sammy!?” Dean called, tears immediately forming in his eyes as he looked around, panicked. Out of the corner of his eyes, he spotted Darla’s blonde hair, moving away, as she walked quickly down the sidewalk towards a running car._

_“SAMMY!!! STOP!!” Dean shouted, running after them as fast as he could. “STOP!! SHE’S TAKING MY BROTHER!!” Dean called, getting the attention of some of the other parents. Dean continued to chase after the woman, tripping and falling on the concrete and cutting his chin and knees badly, but he heard Sam crying and ignored the pain, continuing to run after._

_By now several people had gotten up as well, someone dialing 911, while another shouted at nearby pedestrians to stop the woman. Darla looked around, panicked, and made a snap decision- quickly dumping Sam down on the sidewalk and running to the car alone, which went careening off when she got in._

_Dean hurried to Sam, who was now screaming and sobbing “Deeee! De!” repeatedly. He held his brother tightly, checking him over to make sure the woman hadn’t hurt him in anyway. There were no vampire or werewolf bites, no scratches; aside from the crying, Sam was okay._

_“I’m sorry Sammy. I’m so sorry.” Dean cried. “I didn’t protect you.”_

_A wave of strangers began to swarm, asking if they were alright, and telling them to stay here until the police showed up. Dean panicked, feeling overwhelmed and afraid of all the people. He quickly picked up Sam, ignoring that his brother was heavy to carry, and that his knees stung painfully, and just kept running until no one was following them anymore._

_Eventually, when it was safe, and Sam was now calm enough to walk on his own, Dean brought them back to the motel room. He gave Sam a bath, and some food, and then tucked him into bed to sleep._

_While Sam slept peacefully, Dean quietly wiped the gravel out of his cuts with a wet paper towel, crying silently in pain. When he was done, he managed to drag the arm chair over to the door, pressing it up against it, to stop anyone else from getting in, key or not._

_Afterwards, Dean just sat at the end of Sammy’s bed, staring at the door and waiting. He was tired and hungry, but he refused to get distracted ever again. It was his fault that Sam had been in danger… and he held back tears at the thought of how much trouble he would be in when their dad got back and found out…_

_Finally there was a knock at the door. “It’s Uncle Bobby.” the man called._

_Hearing Bobby’s voice instead of their Dad, Dean immediately broke down into tears again, running to the door, and dragging the chair away. He opened the door and threw himself at Bobby, crying into the man’s leg. “I messed up, Uncle Bobby. I’m so sorry. She wasn’t a monster! But, but—” he cried._

_Bobby immediately bent down, hugging Dean tightly and rubbing his back, shushing the boy. “Oh Dean… It’s okay, son…It’s ganna be okay.” he soothed him._

Dean glanced down, shoulders slumped. “It’s true… We’ve dealt with crap we never should never have had to. That kid especially…” he admitted.

Sara nodded, sympathetically, slowly reaching into her pocket. “I know, honey, I know…” She tried not to smirk as she slowly gripped onto another hex bag.

Dean looked up, eyes hard with a newfound resolve. “But there are things out there just as bad as monsters. There are still things that go bump in the night, that would hurt my brother. So no thanks.” He pushed the woman’s hand off his cheek. “I’ve gotten pretty good at kicking all those sons of bitches in the ass, and I won’t go back to being that scared little boy ever again.” he announced, reaching forward quickly and grabbing hold of the woman’s hair. He pulled down hard, tearing some of the pieces out.

“AH!” the witch screamed, anger flashing over her eyes as she pulled out the hex bag, opening her mouth to recite the incantation when a loud bang cut her off. Sara gasped, looking down to see blood dripping down her chest. She fell to floor, revealing Cas, standing behind where she had stood, holding the smoking gun.

“Nice shot, Cas.” Dean acknowledged.

“Well, you did teach me yourself.” Cas smiled for a moment, before clearing his throat and glancing away. “We should get back, so Sam can be returned to an adult again.” he stated, walking past Dean quickly to exit the house.

Dean watched Cas go, opening his mouth as if to say something more, but thinking better of it. With a heavy sigh he tucked the hair into his pocket, glancing at the witch’s dead body. “You can’t change the past.” Dean muttered quietly, turning his gaze up, to see Cas’ retreating form. _All you can do is focus on the now,_ he thought…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the final chapter... With Sam returned to normal, Dean does some serious soul searching...


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sam is returned to normal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N- Well, that's all folks! Thank you all so much for reading, and being so lovely and supportive in the comments. I've honestly never had a fic that got so much kind interaction, it's really made my week. Hope you enjoyed, and please check out my other two Supernatural fics! Story, Wyoming is low key my favourite because I'm a sucker for Sad Dean, and brotherly bonding.

Dean and Cas made it back to the motel in good time, opening the door to find Bobby struggling to get baby Sam, who was crying, back into his clothes. “Dean, thank god. Your damn brother has been fighting me tooth and nail ever since you left. Come deal with him for god’s sake, before he blows a vocal cord screaming for you.”

Dean chuckled, dumping his bag on the floor and moving over to Sam. “Yeah, taking care of Sam isn’t so easy now huh?” Dean picked up Sam, shushing him and bouncing to try to get him to calm down, which he did once he recognized Dean. He then laid him back down on the bed, to try to get him into the onesie. “You ganna be a man about this, Sammy? Because trust me, when we tell this story to everyone we know later, you’re not ganna wanna be in a diaper the whole time.”

The man quickly got his brother dressed, placing him in the carrier, where he sat happily. “Honestly,” Dean began, glancing at Cas and Bobby, “not much different than how he acts as an adult, just saying.” the man joked.

“I’m sure your brother appreciates that. Now did you get the hair?” Bobby asked.

“Right here.” Cas spoke up, producing a vial with some hair in it from his coat pocket. “Taken when she was still alive. I’ll go retrieve the other ingredients while you two prepare for the spell.” the man added, disappearing before Dean could say another word.

“What’s got his celestial knickers in a twist?”

Dean shrugged, hiding a frown. “The hell should I know.” he muttered, but he knew exactly what it was.

Sometime later, the baby carrier, with Sam in tow, was placed in the center of a pentagram, while Dean, Cas, and Bobby all stood around the outside. Bobby held the witch’s spell book and was reading off Latin while Dean threw ingredients into a bowl one by one.

Finally Bobby closed the book, nodding to Dean to light the ingredients. “That should do ‘er.”

Dean let out a short breath, lighting the match and holding it over the bowl. “We better hope so.” he commented, before dropping the match, and stumbling back from the large plume of green smoke and light which erupted. Bobby and Dean both coughed, waving the smoke away, while Cas peered into the area, unaffected, searching for a sign it had worked.

“Hey, um, guys…” Sam’s voice came from within the dissipating fog. “…I…I don’t have any clothes on.” he admitted, attempting to cover himself up as the last bits of the smoke disappeared.

Dean laughed, patting his brother on the shoulder. “Yeah, well, we’ve seen worse from you in the past 24 hours.” he teased, tossing Sam his backpack with his stuff in it. “It’s good to have you back, man. Now get dressed you big baby.” he smirked, getting a chuckle out of Bobby too.

While Bobby explained to Sam what had happened, Dean stepped outside for some fresh air, Cas following him. “You seem much more relaxed now your brother is back to normal.” the angel commented.

“Yeah. I guess this whole thing just made me feel like I was that scared little kid, who had to watch out for Sam all the time because he didn’t know any better.” Dean glanced at Cas, smiling at the way his eyes seemed to shine in the dim light. “But then all those things that the witch was saying reminded me, he’s not a defenseless kid anymore. I mean hell, he’s a gigantic, moose-human who could probably take someone out accidentally let alone fight off some monster.”

Cas nodded. “I’m glad you came to that realization.” The man hesitated for a moment before opening his mouth. “I admit I was concerned for a moment…I thought you were going to accept her offer.”

“Nah.” Dean shook his head. “It’s like I told the witch. Nobody’s ever really safe. I guess that’s why all you can do is watch each other’s backs and appreciate the time you have with those you love.” He paused. “Besides, as nice as a fresh start sounds on paper…I like what I’ve got. Broken and messed up as our lives have been, I wouldn’t throw away the family we’ve made.” He swallowed heavily, reaching out and taking Cas’s hand in his, still staring off at the sky.

“Dean?” Cas questioned, glancing down at their hands and then back to the man.

“You were right, okay. I’m not that scared kid anymore, whose only job was taking care of his brother. He doesn’t need me anymore, so I can’t keep using him as an excuse for pushing everyone else away. It’s time for me to open up and figure out who I am outside of just ‘the big brother’.”

Cas smiled softly, shuffling closer to Dean and running his free hand up and down Dean’s arm comfortingly. “Well, I think he’ll always need you, Dean. You’ll always be his brother, you just don’t need to be his guardian anymore.”

Dean nodded. “No, but I might need a guardian of my own. I have no idea how to be my own person. And I’m crap at the whole emotional stability thing.” the man admitted.

“Would a guardian angel work?” Cas asked, smiling, but eyes serious as he looked at Dean.

“It’ll be a hard job. I’m a pretty difficult, lug-headed, stubborn son of a bitch. Or so I’m told.”

“Seems like a job for heaven’s most disobedient, useless angel.” Cas countered.

Dean smiled. “Perfect.”

Later, on the road, Dean drove the Impala through the night, Sam by his side, Cas in the backseat, while the P.M. radio played softly in the background. ‘ _Broomstick Cowboy’_ came on the radio next, and Dean turned the volume up.

“You know, I used to use this song to get you to sleep when you were younger. It worked like a charm every time.” Dean commented, glancing at Sam.

“Really?” Sam questioned. “I don’t remember that at—” he was interrupted by a yawn. “—all.”

Dean laughed, shaking his head. “Every time.”

“Shut up.”

“You’ve had a long day, Sammy,” Dean teased. “Grab some Z’s, I’ll keep driving.”

Sam begrudgingly yawned again, shuffling down in the seat to get more comfortable. “This is _not_ because of the song.” he argued, eye lids already heavy.

Dean and Cas both laughed softly, making eye contact through the rear mirror. Cas put his hand on Dean’s shoulder comfortably. “Are you sure you’re okay to drive? You’ve had quite the exciting past few hours as well.” he asked, voice soft.

“I’ll be fine.” Dean nodded, placing his hand over Cas’ to keep it there. “Besides, I’ve got my brother by my side and my guardian angel looking out for me. What more could a guy need?”

**THE END.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EPILOGUE:
> 
> Cas and Dean continued staring into each other's eyes through the rear mirror. In his 'sleep' Sam muttered "That's gay...", earning a slap over the head from Dean. 
> 
> "Yeah it is." Dean smirked, and Cas smiled with him.
> 
> "Gross." Sam chuckled, and then quietly afterwards, "About time."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! :)  
> Kudos/Comments make my day <3


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